Hot Stove Players of the Week: Burnett, Sabathia & Pettitte

Last night I had a dream that the New York Mets were trying to win a game with this lineup: Cory Sullivan, Luis Castillo, Fernando Tatis, Daniel Murphy, Jeff Francoeur, Jeremy Reed, Alex Cora and Brian Schneider, and Murphy, who’s the first baseman, didn’t cover first on a play, the offense couldn’t score any runs, the pitchers couldn’t get anybody out, their All-Star closer was blowing saves by giving up grand slams, the defense was making errors left and right, the players were making mental mistakes and starting to mail the season in, Anderson Hernandez was back on the team and starting at shortstop replacing guys named Wilson Valdez and Angel Berroa, they went 2-5 on their road trip, just about every good starter and backup they could scrounge up was on the DL and even some of those guys were having setbacks.

What, you mean that wasn’t all a dream? That was just a typical week for the Mets these days? Ay caramba! Our friends at GlobalSportsFraternity.com have come up with a new game that perfectly sums up the Mets season.

Meanwhile, after sweeping the Boston Red Sox and beating the Toronto Blue Jays two out of three (and winning the opener of their road trip last night), they’re throwing a party over in the Bronx.

After Wednesday’s walk-off win, Hank Steinbrenner channeled his inner Al Czervik and shouted to the crowd, “Hey everybody, we’re all gonna get laid!” And at the after-party, he was overheard telling the band: “Hey Ringo, play something hot, will you? And you guys, take some more lessons!” It’s one walk-off win after another for the Yankees this year.

Winners

A.J. Burnett/CC Sabathia/Andy Pettitte

It all starts with pitching, and when your starters don’t let in a run, you’re team is going to win.

The Yankees’ big three came up big against the hated Red Sox and combined to pitch 22.1 scoreless innings. No, that wasn’t against the Mets lineup, but the Sox.

Burnett also kept them in the game on Wednesday vs. the Blue Jays, giving the team another opportunity for late-inning heroics. And Sabathia had his way with the Mariners last night, pitching eight innings and only letting in a run.

Runners Up

Robinson Cano

Sure, the lackadaisical second baseman probably could have caught that potential double play ball on Monday, but he made up for it by getting the shaving cream treatment after hitting a game-winning RBI single on Wednesday.

It was the 11th walk-off win for the Yankees in their new stadium. Cano batted a whopping .438 in the team’s seven games this week.

Johan Santana

He’s just about the only major leaguer left on the Mets, and on Sunday he did it all. He notched his 13th win, pitching eight innings, only allowing one run. He also contributed at the plate, with two hits, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. He’s like the star Little Leaguer who pitches and bats cleanup.

He hit a walk-off blast in the 15th inning to win Friday’s game. But he was just trying to impress Kate Hudson, who was at Yankee Stadium over the weekend with Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and his nephew, Matt Franco. Yes, that Matt Franco.

The former Met had to fight every urge he had to run on the field and get a game-winning hit against Mariano Rivera. But the most impressive thing about Hudson, of course, is that her father is one of the Hudson Brothers.

Hideki Matsui

He hit the game-tying homer Tuesday vs. the Jays in the eighth inning and topped that with a four-hit, two home run, five RBI night against Seattle last night.

Alex Cora

He hit his first home run of the year on Saturday, but makes this list for continuing to play with torn ligaments in his thumb while every other Met checks into the hospital.

Schmucks of the Week

Sergio Mitre/Livan Hernandez

The weak link in the Yankees rotation, Mitre struggled once again in his start this week. He gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits, while going only five innings. He now has a 7.04 ERA. You know you’re bad when you have a higher ERA than Oliver Perez. Mitre might not be in the rotation for long, though, with Chad Gaudin now on the team.

The Mets are also having trouble with the fifth spot in their rotation (of course, they’re having trouble with the second, third and fourth spots, too).

Hernandez may be replaced by Nelson Figueroa or Tim Redding after another ugly start in Arizona on Tuesday (four innings, five runs). When Tim Redding’s an upgrade, things are not going so well.